FIREBRAND mullah Anjem Choudary has made his most-bonkers rant yet -- demanding Southall be named our capital. He said the west London suburb should be the centre of power "when Islam takes over the UK".
| "He sounds completely barmy." |
The lawyer, who was once the head of radical Muslim group al-Muhajiroun, made the call at a meeting of his supporters. They cheered his every word as he called for Muslims to "rise up" and seize power in Britain.
But even they fell silent when he called for rundown Southall -- an Asian-dominated area -- to become the nation's capital. Choudary, 41, said: "We will rise up. We will rise up, my dear MusÂlims. One day we will have the Sharia here. And who knows, mayÂbe even Southall can be the capital of the IslamÂic state when we conquer it."
Almost 20 per cent of locals in Southall are Muslims, while more than 75 per cent are Asian, compared with around 12 per cent classifying themselves as white. It is also home to the Glassy Junction pub, the first bar in the UK to accept rupees.
But last night locals dismissed Choudary's views. Retired postal worker Jim Allen, 71, said: "I like the place, but I wouldn't make it a capital in a million years." Helen Jamison, 41, added: "He sounds completely barmy."
Choudary has close links to Omar Bakri Mohammed, the 50-year-old preacher banned from the UK.
Like many capitals, Southall does have its claims to fame. Washington DC has the White House while Southall has White Street gasworks tower. Paris has nine restaurants with three Michelin stars but Southall has Britain's first Halal McDonald's. |